Sam Hartman’s Wake Forest return changes everything in the ACC

With Sam Hartman returning for Wake Forest, this changes the entire dynamic of the ACC.

Wake Forest football fans got fantastic news on Tuesday afternoon, as star quarterback Sam Hartman was medically cleared to play.

Hartman had been ruled out for a month with what was described as a “non-football injury.” People speculated the worst, hoping that one of the best and most important players in the ACC would be okay. He was diagnosed with Paget-Schoetter syndrome, as evidenced by a blood clot stemming from “repeated strenuous activity.” Hartman had surgery to have it removed on Aug. 9.

An ultrasound performed on Friday confirmed there was no additional clotting for the quarterback.

"“This process has made me appreciate all the people at Wake Forest University and around our football program for how they care for us,” said Hartman to David M. Hale of ESPN.com. “There will be time for me to tell my complete story, but right now I am really just excited to get back on the field with my teammates.”"

Hartman will be able to play in Wake Forest’s Week 2 road game at the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Don’t question for a second how huge Hartman’s return is for Wake Forest football going forward.

Wake Forest football: Sam Hartman’s return has massive implications in ACC

With Clemson having a down year a season ago and North Carolina State not being quite ready, Wake Forest won the ACC Atlantic in 2021. While the Deacs had trouble with “The Fake Slide King” Kenny Pickett’s Pittsburgh Panthers in the conference title bout in Charlotte, people were bullish on Wake Forest heading into this season. Then, Hartman’s non-football injury changed everything.

The Demon Deacons should have been a top-15 team entering this season. But a team without Hartman, how do you even go about assessing them? Wake Forest clobbered VMI in Week 1. They enter Week 2 as the No. 23 team in the nation, but a healthy Hartman can and will change everything in the ACC. How much you say? Well, the Deacs can win the ACC and make the playoff.

Starting way outside of the top 10 would make that an impossibility for most teams, but Wake’s initial ranking was artificially suppressed because of Hartman’s non-football injury. Looking at their 2022 regular-season schedule, Wake Forest could have upwards of three wins against ranked teams: Clemson, at North Carolina State and North Carolina if the Tar Heels are for real.

Should Wake Forest win all three of those games, plus over either Miami, Pittsburgh or North Carolina in a rematch out of the Coastal in the ACC Championship, don’t tell me an undefeated Wake Forest isn’t making the College Football Playoff. Heck, if the Deacs just split with Clemson and NC State to finish the year 11-1 and win the ACC, it will force the Selection Committee’s hand.

Ultimately, Wake Forest is getting back its best player at the perfect time. Even if the game is in Nashville, Hartman will have a few weeks to get caught up to speed before Clemson comes to town. Even though the Tigers blew out the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Atlanta, plenty of teams will do that this year on what should be Geoff Collins’ death march leading the Ramblin’ Wreck.

For now, the ACC just got a whole lot more interesting with Hartman being able to play at Wake.

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